Jharkhand tragedy: 7 dead, 1 injured when coal-laden truck hits van in Ramgarh; CM Hemant Soren expresses grief | Video | Today’s news
A celebratory drive ended in tragedy as at least seven people were killed and one injured after a coal-laden truck rammed into a van carrying a band in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district, prompting locals to block the road, police said on Friday. Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed grief over the death of seven people in the accident.
The incident took place around midnight in Barlong Budhbazar area under Rajrappa police station limits when a truck collided with a van, a senior officer said.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic news of 7 people who died in a road accident near Lari-Barlaung on the Ramgarh-Bokaro road late last night. May Marang Buru grant peace to the departed souls and give strength to the bereaved family members to bear this hour of grief,” Soren said on X.
Ramgarh Superintendent of Police (SDPO) Alok Ranjan told PTI, “At least seven people died and one was injured in a collision between a truck and a van. The injured person was shifted to a hospital in Ranchi for better treatment.”
He said six people died on the spot while one succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ramgarh.
The bodies have been sent for postmortem, the SDPO said.
However, Ramgarh Civil Surgeon Dr. Anil Kumar said eight people were taken to the Sadyar hospital, seven of whom were declared brought dead.
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“The injured person was in a critical condition and was sent to Ranchi for advanced treatment. All the bodies have been kept in the mortuary for further proceedings,” he said.
The deceased were residents of Marangmarch and Balsagra and were traveling to attend a function on Friday when the accident took place, another police officer said.
According to him, the impact was so strong that the van was seriously damaged.
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Villagers blocked the Ramgarh-Bokaro road, alleging that at least 11 people have died in accidents in the area in the last three days due to “negligence” on the part of the district administration. The blockade was later lifted after police intervention.
The free entry to the T20 League final draws a huge crowd and creates stampede-like chaos
In a separate incident on June 23, several people were injured after a stampede-like situation broke out at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi during the Jharkhand T20 League final, officials said, according to ANI.
Officials said the crowd far exceeded expectations as entry to the final was free. After the gates of the stadium were closed due to the growing crowd, people waiting outside became restless, with some trying to climb the gates and boundary walls to get inside, sparking chaos.
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The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Senior police officials including Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rakesh Ranjan reached the spot while additional police personnel were deployed to restore order.
Explaining the incident, Ranjan said, “Only one gate was opened for the public to enter, which caused a sudden surge in the crowd. The slow pace of security checks led to significant pressure from the public outside and the crowd became unruly for a short time. We entered and brought the situation under control.”
“Some people have sustained injuries and are currently undergoing treatment. According to my information, four or five people have been injured. The situation is now calm and under control,” he added.
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses blamed mismanagement of the crowd, claiming that opening only a limited number of gates led to chaos as spectators tried to force their way into the stadium.
